'Born to Ride' celebrates 20-year journey on TV

Ron and Debbie Galletti, shown with their children, Ronnie,13 and Emily, 14, have co-produced Born To Ride for the past 20 years. To celebrate the longest running biker TV show in the world, they are hosting a celebration at Harley-Davidson Brandon starting at 11 a.m. on Nov. 22. Photo by Eric Vician

Ron Galletti still remembers the day he came home from the sweltering Florida heat of his construction foreman and told his wife he left his job to pursue an entrepreneurial idea. Galletti wanted to document the lifestyle of motorcycle riders and thought the idea might make for a good television show.

That was 20 years — and two children — ago for the couple, who co-produce Born to Ride a show seen in more than 2 million homes, across 14 counties including locally on Great 38, WTTA Tampa Bay Sundays at 11 p.m.

"I never really thought about longevity when I quit my job and came home and told Debbie," he said. "We started riding again and started to figure out that these are professional people. We are still breaking down stereotypes of what bikers really are."

Galletti will celebrate the friendships he has made through the show with a public party open that kicks off at 11 a.m on Sunday at Harley-Davidson Brandon, 9841 E Adamo Drive.

The anniversary celebration will feature live music, food and drinks, vendors, a 10-class bike show, custom bikes and appearances from professional wrestling's Nasty Boys and actress Krista Grotte.

Galletti, who has featured the likes of Willie Nelson, Steven Tyler, Hulk Hogan and Evel Knievel on Born to Ride, said his most memorable episodes actually feature unsung heroes.

"When we can help the veterans, animals or children, those are the people who have a passion for life," said Galletti, who has a daughter, Emily, 14 and son, Ronnie, 13.

Since launching the weekly television series, Born to Ride has expanded into free monthly magazines (covering Florida and Georgia), online via social media sites as well as event promotions and its own mobile app.

Keep up with Born to Ride at facebook.com/BornToRideTVMagazine.

SHARE YOUR NEWS: If you have an item for Everybody's Business, contact Arielle Waldman at [email protected]

DADE CITY — A Dade City man was arrested Tuesday night after jumping on top of a car, stabbing the driver multiple times and kicking an officer in the face, according to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.Roscoe James, 42, was walking down Morningside...

TAMPA — Washington is on to Vegas. The Lightning is not. So we asked the Times' Lightning coverage team for the single biggest reason Tampa Bay isn't headed to the Stanley Cup final. Here's their answers:Roger Mooney, staff writer: Th...

TAMPA — Hours before the puck drops at Amalie Arena for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, the ice crew boss talks about putting off any sign of the end for as long as possible."We don’t want to see the front-end loaders," says Tom Miracle, who...

APOLLO BEACH — Tampa Electric Co. is taking a big step away from coal. The Tampa-based utility is converting its coal-fired Unit 1 at its Big Bend Power Station to natural gas and retiring coal-fired Unit 2 in 2021.Five workers died in June 2017 afte...

VERO BEACH — To become the first Pasco County team and just the third from the area to win consecutive state titles, Land O’Lakes knew it had to get past a familiar — and determined — opponent in Thursday’s Class 6A championship game.The Gators faced...

Eight women have accused actor Morgan Freeman of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior on-set, at his production company, and during press junkets, according to a report.CNN reports that 16 people have spoken out against Freeman’s alleged misco...

As a fifth-grader, Aleesha Mance wrote an essay about her sister’s killer, explaining how peer pressure and drugs led the 17-year-old to make a deadly choice.
In high school, she searched for his name online. She read news articles about a tee...

TAMPA — Work is underway to improve pedestrian safety on Bayshore Boulevard, the signature Tampa roadway popular among walkers, joggers and bicyclists where a mother was struck and killed by a car Wednesday while pushing her 21-month-old daughter acr...

TAMPA— The Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg confirmed Thursday that the three men involved in the Bayshore Boulevard crash that killed an Ohio mother and critically injured her 21-month-old daughter are recent graduates of Tampa Catholic High Schoo...

TAMPA — Before Jessica Raubenolt was fatally struck by a speeding black Mustang on Wednesday, the gray skies she had seen all week had turned blue so she decided to take her baby out in the stroller. Her husband David had just completed his flight ce...